Editorial: Environmental Informatics for Environmental Planning and Management

Environmental information technologies have played important roles in environmental planning and management towards sustainable development strategies. One of the widely recognized features of the information process is the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geo-spatial statistics, simulation modeling, and any combination of them. Many research projects have explored the potential of using GIS to store and analyze spatial data, as well as to present data and analytical results with maps, tables, charts, or reports. Various simulation models have long been used in environmental studies, such as using surface and subsurface water models for resource and environmental management (Darbar et al., 1995; Cowen et al., 1995; Merchant, 1994; Smith and Vidmar, 1994; Warwick and Haness, 1994; Tim and Jolly, 1994). Other models simulate the interactions between land use and transport to connect economic activities in space with accessibility (Barra, 2001). In general, simulation models provide the information necessary for analysis and evaluation among planning alternatives (Putman and Chan, 2001). This special issue includes five essays that illustrate the wide spectrums of environmental information process and application. These essays share a common goal of using information technologies, which is to develop decision support systems that enable scientists, policy makers, planners and public to better understand the natural phenomena and environment-human interactions.